Vicia Sativa

Mar, Apr, May

Annual, Weed, Straggling or ascending annual herb up to 80 cm tall.

Annual

Inconspicuous pea-shaped flowers occur in the area between the stems and leaf petioles (leaf axils). They occur in pairs and on flower stalks (peduncles) that range from 2-6 mm in length. The upper petal is broad, flares up and is notched in the center. The two lateral petals are oval shaped and can be a darker color. The flowers are replaced by elongated 1 1/2-3" green, flattened seedpods which later become dark brown containing 4-8 seeds., Flowers 1–2 in the axils, subsessile or very shortly pedicellate.

Each somewhat flattened legume contains 4 to 8 seeds. The rounded seeds are dispersed after the pod explosively opens., Pod narrowly oblong, 25–50 × 4–9 mm, brownish-black, pubescent to glabrous.